Package for flat articles

ABSTRACT

A package particularly adapted to contain a flat article and comprising two rectangular plastic sheet portions bonded firmly to one another by four seals extending immediately adjacent the four sides of said flat article; the plastic sheet portions, in a face-to-face relationship, extend beyond one of said seals away from said article to form a handling flap provided with an opening for suspension and bonded together at their edges spaced from, and parallel with said last-named seal.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Hans Beck Urbanstrasse 27, 7440 Nurtingen, Germany [21] Appl. No. 861,290

[22] Filed Sept. 26, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 2, 1971 [32] Priority Oct. 2, 1968 [33] Germany [54] PACKAGE FOR FLAT ARTICLES Primary ExaminerDonald F. Norton Attorney-Edwin E. Greigg ABSTRACT: A package particularly adapted to contain a flat article and comprising two rectangular plastic sheet portions bonded firmly to one another by four seals extending immediately adjacent the four sides of said flat article; the plastic sheet portions, in a face-to-face relationship, extend beyond one of said seals away from said article to form a handling flap provided with an opening for suspension and bonded together at their edges spaced from, and parallel with said last-named seal.

1 Claim,2Drawing Figs.

52 us. Cl 229/66, 206/DlG. 8, 229/53, 229/55 [51] lnt.l 865d 33/14 [50] Field of Search 229/62, 66, 69; 206/DlG. 8, 45.33

76 T; I I l M 11, p

l I 34 I I11 :J :5 Ix zz- |i 10 ii :I 22 1:: Ti

PACKAGE FOR FLAT ARTICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a rectangular package for flat anicles and is of the type that has two sheet portions preferably of 5 transparent plastic material which cover the article on the upper and lower faces and which are attached to one another by means of seals (or seals and folds) extending immediately adjacent the edges of said article.

Articles packaged in the afore-outlined manner are, particularly in self-service stores, hung serially on hooks of a display rack; the customers may lift them off conveniently. The eyelet for the suspension of such articles is, in known packages, provided in a piece of cardboard subsequently stapled to the package. The rectangular package, with which this invention is concerned, is further of the type which is provided, on one sheet portion, with an openable slot through which access may be gained to the merchandise itself. Often, after the opening of the package, the plastic bag continues to serve as a storing means. It is, however, a disadvantage of such opened packages that their contents are, by virtue of the open slot, directly exposed to the dusty or otherwise unclean environment.

OBJECT, SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide an improved package of the aforenoted type wherein a subsequent attachment of a cardboard hanger may be omitted and wherein the package is, during its preparation, provided with a handling flap which simultaneously may be used as a hanger element and, if the package is open, as a cover or guard therefor.

Briefly stated, according to the invention, the superposed plastic sheet portions extend, in a face-to-face relationship, beyond one package seal and are bonded together at their ends by a further seal extending parallel to the aforenoted package seal. At the two sides of the package, the lateral edges may also be bonded together by further seals that extend as a linear continuation of the package seals running immediately laterally of the flat article. In this manner a handling or gripper flap is formed. During the preparation of the package, an additional plastic strip is added to the package portions forming said handling flap. One part of the additional plastic strip lies loosely over an openable slot to serve as a cover once the package is open. The handling flap may be provided with an opening for attaching the package on a hook or the like.

The afore-outlincd structure results in handling flap of substantial strength adapted-by means of an orifice provided thereinto support the package in a suspended condition.

It is a particular advantage of the above-described package that the handling flap together with the opening, serving for suspension, may be prepared in an automatic packing machine as a simultaneous and integral part of the package making.

The invention will be better understood, as well as further objects and advantages will become more apparent, from the ensuing detailed specification of several exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a plan view of two, still connected packages according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and webs (in dash-dot lines) from which they are prepared; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Turning now to the figures, the package shown therein comprises an upper plastic sheet portion and a lower, identical plastic sheet portion 12 formed, respectively, from an upper web 14 and a lower web 16 simultaneously fed to a packing machine (not shown). While webs l4 and 16 are convergingly fed in the direction of arrow A, the flat articles 30 are inserted therebetween.

The package, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, further comprises a plastic strip 18 obtained from a narrow plastic web 20. The latter is fed, together with webs l4 and 16 to the packing machine and is positioned over the marginal regions of one side of the upper web 14. The border seals 22 and 24 extending in direction A are formed in such a manner that, on the one hand, an unseparable bond between the edges of the sheet portions 10 and 12 is obtained and, on the other hand, strip portions 26 from the left side of superposed webs l4 and 16, as well as strip portions 28 from the right side of superposed webs 14, 16 and 20 are trimmed away. Thus, seals 22 and 24 are severing seals.

Between the seal 24 and the adjacent, parallel extending edge of article 30, there is provided ,immediately adjacent the latter, a nonsevering seal 32 in the direction of arrow A. The two lateral severing seals 34 extending along the side edges of article 30 normal to direction A, the longitudinally directed seal 22, and the inner seal 32 define a hermetically closed space which is formed of sheet portions l0, l2 and receives article 30. The seals 32 and 34 are preferably of such a structure that they form a strong bond between sheet portions 10 and 12 and sever the material only to an extent that the packages remain connected to one another, but may be manually separated from each other without the use of any tool. Sheet portion 10, adjacent the seal 32, is provided with an openable slot 42 which may be formed of perforations subsequently torn open to obtain a continuous opening. The strip 18 has a free marginal portion 36 which lies loosely over and beyond the slot 42 and thus serves as a protective cover or dust guard once the package is open.

The plastic strip 18 and the underlying parts of sheet portions 10 and 12 extend beyond the seal 32 and form together in the area between the seal 32 and the outer severing seal 24 a handling or gripping flap. In the middle of the handling flap there is stamped a triangular slitlike opening 38 defining a tongue 40 that remains attached to the flap and is bent outwardly when a suspension hook or the like is passed through said opening 38.

It is apparent that the seal 22 remote from the handling flap may be omitted if, instead of two webs 14 and 16, a single web is used that is doubled by a fold extending in direction A remote from seal 32.

What is claimed is:

l. A package for receiving flat articles, comprising,

A. a first and a second sheet in a superposed relationship,

B. a first seal bonding said sheets to one another to define a closed space for receiving said articles,

C. a second seal extending at a distance from said closed space and bonding said sheets to one another; said second seal and a portion of said first seal defining between themselves an area on said superposed sheets adjoining said space, said area forming a handling flap,

D. openable means in said first sheet to provide access to the inside of said space, and

E. a strip superposed on said first sheet over the entirety of said area and beyond said portion of said first seal to extend loosely over one part of said space and cover said openable means in said first sheet; said strip being bonded to said sheets by said portion of said first seal and by said second seal to constitute a reinforcement of said handling flap. 

1. A package for receiving flat articles, comprising, A. a first and a second sheet in a superposed relationship, B. a first seal bonding said sheets to one another to define a closed space for receiving said articles, C. a second seal extending at a distance from said closed space and bonding said sheets to one another; said second seal and a portion of said first seal defining between themselves an area on said superposed sheets adjoining said space, said area forming a handling flap, D. openable means in said first sheet to provide access to the inside of said space, and E. a strip superposed on said first sheet over the entirety of said area and beyond said portion of said first seal to extend loosely over one part of said space and cover said openable means in saiD first sheet; said strip being bonded to said sheets by said portion of said first seal and by said second seal to constitute a reinforcement of said handling flap. 